Foaming insert for a beverage container

Details Foaming insert for a beverage container Foaming insert for a beverage container

1996-06-27

1998-10-27

Adams, Donald E.

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Packaged or wrapped product

Having consumer oriented diverse utility

426124, 53432, 525 57, A21D 1002, B65B 3102, C08G 6348

Patent

active

058275550

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a foaming insert for a beverage container.
There is an expectation for a frothy head to be formed on beer, when this is poured into a glass, the froth being produced by release of carbon dioxide dissolved under pressure in the beer. The action of pouring the beer causes the initiation of gas release to cause a foaming effect to produce the froth.
It is often required to cause a froth to be formed on opening of the container, for example, where the contents are to be drunk directly from the container, and it has been known for some years to provide means to initiate the foaming action as soon as the container is opened and pressure in the container is released. The usual way to do this is to provide a secondary compartment in the container containing gas under pressure. The gas is released through a nozzle, on opening of the main container, to cause "seeding" of gas release from the container contents.
The contents may, of course, be beverages other than beer and the gas dissolved in the beverage may be nitrogen as well as carbon dioxide. The gas provided in the secondary compartment will usually be carbon dioxide, or nitrogen.
An early example of such a container is disclosed in GB-A-1266351 published 1972. The secondary chamber was fixed to the bottom of the container with a nozzle opening to the container contents. The contents of the container main chamber and the secondary chamber are in pressure equilibrium until the main chamber is opened, when differential pressures causes release of a stream of bubbles from the secondary chamber.
This document discloses that the nozzle may be sealed by gelatine to permit charging of the secondary chamber with gas prior to filling of the main chamber with beverage. The gelatine seal is dissolved by the beverage to open the nozzle, which contaminates the beverage.
The document also discloses the alternative of providing a valve instead of the gelatine seal, the valve being openable due to pressure differential when the main chamber is opened.
There have been many developments since, of the principles disclosed in this document, e.g. as disclosed in GB-A-1331425, WO92/00096, WO92/00097, GB-A-2211813, GB-A-2240960, EP-A-0360375, EP-A-0360373, GB-A-2256628, WO91/13006, GB-A-2257132, WO91/09781, GB-A-2183592, GB-A-1588624, WO91/00825, GB-A-2257107 and WO91/07326.
Some of these documents disclose the principle of charging a separate insert with gas and providing the insert in the container, prior to filling the container. GB-A-2240960 discloses such an insert, which is magnetically retained beneath the liquid contents of the container.
GB-A-2183592 and WO91/07326 disclose, among many proposals, the provision of a floating insert, which is charged with gas and caused to float on the beverage, so as to project into the head space. The nozzle is held below the liquid by weighting of the floating insert.
A disadvantage of the use of a secondary chamber, whose nozzle is open to the contents of the main chamber prior to opening of the main chamber, is that a substantial amount of the liquid contents enters the secondary chamber. This is caused by changes in pressure due to temperature changes. The container and its contents are usually subjected to a pasteurisation step, followed by cold storage.
Where a valve is used, the valve has to remain closed before and after insertion of the insert in the container and to open only when the container is opened. One way of achieving this, as disclosed in WO91/07326, is to charge the insert with gas above atmospheric pressure and to maintain the insert under superatmospheric pressure until the container has been sealed. This is clearly a difficult procedure to carry out.
The document discloses an alternative of filling the insert at atmospheric pressure and utilising the pasteurisation step to cause a permanent reduction in volume of the insert, so that the gas in the insert is pressurised after insertion in the container.
A further alternative disclosed, is to charge an insert with liquified gas prio

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